There are a number of times when parents come to us, full of angst and anxiety because their children are performing below – par. Later, we would normally learn that their children were diagnosed with special needs. This article serves to create the awareness of special needs in children.

Below are the more commonly found special needs, symptom and characteristic :

Austism Spectrum Disorder(ASD) or autism.

A development disorder that affect individuals typically in the way they communicate, form relationships and interact with others. Austism may also affect the individual’s learning and information processing style.

In Singapore, the government has grants for parents who wish to learn how to take care of autistic child. Please approach the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) for the grants.

The good news is that a autistic child can possess extra-ordinary talent in certain area – it can be music, arts or even Maths and others.

Dyslexia

It is characterized by difficulty with learning to read fluently and with accurate comprehension.

Some common symptoms are the child is having mirror writing, inversion in the words they write and simply illegible handwriting.

Your child has difficulty in reading, despite receiving the most conventional remediation.

ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention Deficit(AD)

The most obvious symptom is lack of concentration.

– Be easily distracted, miss details, forget things and frequently switches from one activity to another.

– Having difficulty maintaining focus on one task

– Become bored with the task after only a few minute.

– Having difficulty processing information as quickly and accurately as others.

Hyperactivity Disorder(HD)

– Talk non-stop

– Dash around, touching or playing anythng

– Having trouble sitting still

– Constantly in motion.

– Fidget and squirm n their seats.

Aspergers(AS)

This disease has a wide spectrum of disorders as not all people have the same symptoms; they vary enormously from person to person.

Some common signs and symptoms are:

1. Obsessive interests.

2. Speech is flat, monotonous, or unusually slow or fast.

3. They are upset if there’s disruption to their routines.

4. Weak social skills. Children with AS find it hard to interact with others ad they usage of gestures may appear lacking or inappropriate, and eye contact may be very limited.